


All My Christmases (With You)

by Duskfall



Category: Until Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: (eventually) - Freeform, At least they get a mistletoe kiss out of it, Christmas Eve, Christmas Fluff, Climbing Class, Dancing, Fluff, Gets less fluffy but not exactly angsty, Josh has no sense of self-preservation but what's new, M/M, Snowstorms and wendigos cause a lot of problems on Blackwood, Some teenage pining, Tone change halfway through, Until Dawn Secret Santa 2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-23
Updated: 2017-12-23
Packaged: 2019-02-19 02:42:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13114287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Duskfall/pseuds/Duskfall
Summary: Chris and Josh share two Christmas Eves together, years apart. One goes significantly better than the other. At least teenage pining doesn't last forever.[Part of the Until Dawn Secret Santa 2017 gift exchange, for KayMarie94!]





	All My Christmases (With You)

Not for the first time, Chris and Josh were arguing on Christmas Eve.

Of course, it wasn't exactly the type of argument most couples had. There was no shouting, no crying, no hurt feelings or cracks in their relationship. In fact, both of them were laughing and smiling, staring at each other with an equal blend of good-natured vexation and adoration.

"For the last time, Josh, Die Hard is _not_  a Christmas movie."

Josh threw back his head with a groan, trying and failing to hold back a smile. "You're killing me, Cochise. It's the _best_  Christmas movie, thank you very much."

"So you've said. For years straight. Y'know, there have been literal surveys on this, and most people don't think it counts." Chris rolled his eyes at the other boy draped dramatically over the side of the couch, who was watching him from upside down as he walked over to sit next to him. "Move over, drama queen," he laughed. He shifted Josh's legs over to the other side of the sofa as he sat down, and the older boy sat up straight with a sigh.

The two were softly lit by the glow of the small Christmas tree in the corner of their apartment and the crackling fire just below the flatscreen they'd been using for their annual holiday movie marathon, and Chris was trying to ignore just how damn attractive his friend looked in the low light. It was getting late, the sun had long since disappeared in the inky sky beyond their windows, and they only really had time for one more film before calling it a night. But there was no way he was going with Josh's pick.

"So, any serious suggestions for the last one?"

"I'm still offended by your awful judgement in Christmas films."

"You might be a Hollywood kid, Washington, but that doesn't make you an expert."

"You'll eat those words when we're standing at my first premiere."

Chris's gaze softened as he looked the older boy, smiling confidently over at him with genuine brightness in his eyes. Affectionately nudging him, Chris smiled. "You know what? I hope so."

The thing was, that didn't even seem very far off. They were nearing the end of college by now, and Josh was already at work on developing what he planned to be the first major film of his own. After years of dreaming and scheming and wishing to live up to his family name, Josh was finally on the verge of becoming the next great Washington dominating Hollywood. And Chris was at his side through it all, and some days, he could hardly believe it. It could all feel far too good, too impossibly right to be true.

_That's my boyfriend_ , he thought with pride as he met the eyes of the boy across the couch, and his lips twitched upwards even more into a bright grin.

Josh narrowed his eyes a little as he laughed, tilting his head at Chris. The fluffy white bauble of the old Santa hat he was wearing drooped to the side, and Chris felt another small rush of affection at the sheer damn cuteness of it. "What are you looking at, man? You're staring like you used to back when we were teenagers."

_And I was just as hopelessly in love as I am now_ , Chris finished mentally with amusement, _even if I didn't know it yet_. "Well, that was when we spent our first Christmas Eve alone together. Not that that time was quite as nice as they are these days."

Josh groaned, shaking his head. "God, don't remind me. That storm was awful."

"I can almost still hear your dad yelling at us for missing Christmas morning," Chris teased, and they laughed in unison.

The room fell quiet for a few moments before Josh turned to look back at Chris, a playful smirk at his lips. "You know, I never even got my kiss under the mistletoe that night."

"Poor you," Chris said dryly, but raised his eyebrows. He shifted slightly to balance just on the edge of the couch, tilting his body towards the other boy. "Hey . . . we might not have mistletoe here, but I think there's time to fix that."

Josh leaned forward, a slight glint of mischief in his eyes. "I won't say no to that."

And a moment later he had softly pressed his lips to Chris's, and the feeling was warmer than any number of hours by the fire, and his whole body was alight - a rush of happiness and all-consuming love for the boy next to him seemed to flow over him.

It only lasted seconds, but when they pulled away just enough to touch foreheads moments later, Chris felt as breathless as the first time they'd kissed. He had affectionately dubbed that the Washington effect, and he smiled as he reached up to feel the soft curls of his boyfriend's hair. Josh ran his thumb lightly over the back of his other hand as they held onto each other, breathing in the moment, the only sounds coming from the quietly crackling fire enveloping them in warm light.

They reluctantly pulled away with small laughs, but kept their fingers gently twined together, resting on the couch. Chris lifted his gaze with a crooked grin. "What do you think, Josh? Worth the wait?"

"I'll have to think about it. Extra points for the fact that you're a lot better at kissing than you would've been then, deduction for not having any mistletoe this time . . ."

"Harsh," Chris laughed.

"Honest." Josh looked down, still smiling, seeming to think about something. He pursed his lips slightly, eyes narrowing as his gaze drifted towards the radio and speaker system. "I think I have an idea," he said as he turned to look back at Chris, hopping to the edge of the couch with him. "Forget the movie argument. We've watched a few already, pretty sure we bypassed the holiday spirit minimum hours ago. Let's be all cliché and romantic." He grinned, squeezing the younger boy's hand. "Let's put some Christmas music on and dance."

Chris stumbled over his words a little, choking for a moment before he could put it right. "That's pretty sappy for you, man. And I . . . I mean, you've seen me trying to dance. I don't know whether Ash was more pained by me stepping on her toes or the secondhand embarrassment back at prom."

"Well, we've just got socks on now, and it's only us here. No embarrassment or painful toe-trodding involved."

Chris chuckled as Josh stood up and pulled him to his feet, backing towards the music system with an encouraging smile. "C'mon, you can do this, bro! I believe in you."

After a few seconds of hesitation, Chris let out an amused sigh. "I have a feeling there's no point arguing."

"You rejected Die Hard," Josh said with a smile as he switched the radio on and tuned in to a local Christmas station, turning the volume knob higher as melodies began to fill the quiet of the room. "Plan B is the classic Christmas romance route, and since it's a bit late for ice skating or a horse-drawn carriage in the snow . . ." He stepped back to the other boy and took his hands again, eyes flashing playfully. "Dancing it is."

Chris could feel his heart rate pick up, but his expression remained a genuine (if somewhat nervous) grin as they began to bounce and sway together, getting into the rhythm of the upbeat classic the station had started on.

"See, you're doing it," Josh encouraged him as they got more confident, moving more smoothly with the music. _Time for parties and celebrations, people dancing all night long . . ._

Chris let out a breathy laugh. "We're doing it," he amended through a smile, and began to feel himself relaxing, moving his shoulders to the bright back beat. _Merry Christmas, everyone . . ._

They laughed in chorus, whirling around the room together, twirling and kicking in a small two-person pattern, feeling the melodies connect them as everything else seemed to fade. It was just them, and the music, and the laughter, and dancing like they were made to fit together as partners. The radio played on and on, and they let song after song flow through them as they moved together to the lyrics of love and family and miracles.

When they eventually slowed, breathless, Chris met his partner's gaze again and felt a whole new rush of happiness. Josh's eyes were alight with a soft, deep sort of love, the intensity of all the years they'd spent pining and wishing and dreaming shining through. It didn't help that Mariah Carey's voice was drifting through the room, filling their heads with thoughts of a beautiful, hopeful Christmas romance.

_I think ours will always be my favorite love story_ , Chris thought, and closed his eyes as he leaned forward into another kiss.

Both boys smiled into it as the song played on in the background, and all Chris could think about was how perfect the moment felt. If he could have, he would've stopped time; frozen it so this never had to become just another memory to leave behind.

_I just want you for my own, more than you could ever know_  
_Make my wish come true_  
_Baby, all I want for Christmas is you_

"Mariah must be jealous," Josh murmured as they pulled away, just enough to breathe. "We've had everything she wants all along."

"Yeah, I guess we have." Chris opened his eyes, beaming as they stood together in the firelight, letting the last notes of the music die away. "You know, I think dancing might have been one of your better 'Plan B's, considering this one didn't end in disaster."

Josh chuckled. "You barely even stepped on my toes."

"A Christmas miracle!"

Chris had to clutch his middle as they laughed. "I think this was better than the movie plan. We should try the cliché holiday romance route more often."

"Half an hour after you bashed it and you're going into full-on sappy mode, Hartley."

The two boys shared a grin with that same mix of fondness and humor that had always connected them. After a moment, Chris glanced over Josh's shoulder to the clock on the wall, which was ticking ever closer to midnight. "It's almost Christmas," he noted. "We should start winding down soon."

Josh turned to look at the time himself, nodding as he stepped back from Chris and stretched. "I'm with you on that one. I need some sleep if I have any chance of being awake at Sam's party tomorrow."

"Better get going, then. You remember what happened last time you fell asleep at a party."

"You're all so childish. Can't believe we're still doing party pranks."

"Says Josh Washington, prankiest of them all."

"That is _not_  a word."

"It is now." Chris smiled and lightly shoved his friend's shoulder. "C'mon, man. Let's get to bed."

With a sleepy smile, Josh began backing towards the bedroom while Chris fiddled with the lights to the tree, letting the apartment go dark for the night. As he watched the tiny embers burn a bright orange-red where they remained after he put out the fireplace, Chris remembered another fireplace, another Christmas Eve that seemed ages ago. He smiled a little at the thought as he stood and followed Josh towards the bedroom, marveling in the back of his mind at just how far they'd come.

 

* * *

 

_Another Christmas Eve, years ago_

Over the past few winters, when Chris joined the Washingtons' annual tradition of visiting the mountain, he, Josh, and the twins had developed a tradition of their own. It had all started when they built an enormous snowman on the rolling grounds of the lodge the first year Chris visited, and then again the next year, and the pattern stuck. But a few years in, just as he and the Washington siblings were putting the finishing touches on what Hannah had lovingly dubbed 'Frosty 5.0,' Josh's attention started to shift. Eyes appearing more troubled by the moment, he gradually seemed to become fixated on a point deep into empty space of the snow-covered grounds, and minutes later - just as his friend was beginning to notice, but before he had time to question it - he turned heel and ran into the nearby forest with no more than a hasty mumble of what sounded vaguely like _gotta go_.

Slightly taken aback, a lanky, sixteen-year-old Chris stared after his friend, brow knitting in concern.

Beth scoffed from behind him, where she continued to firmly pat the snow into a rounder shape. "He does this a lot at home too, you know. Stares at nothing, bails without warning. He's been acting weirder lately." The youngest Washington sent a small, knowing smirk at Chris when he turned to her, flurries of snow sticking against her dark hair as she pushed it back from her face. "You're going after him, aren't you?"

"Come on, who would run out into that? Your dad said there was a storm coming." He paused. Beth raised an eyebrow. "Of course I'm going after him."

Both younger girls giggled, and damn them, he couldn't resist a smile. "And I thought it was twins who were supposed to be double the trouble," sighed Beth, sounding slightly amused.

"Be careful," Hannah added sweetly as she stretched up to swing a scarf around the snowman, and Chris gave a playful salute as he began backing towards the path leading into the forest.

"Always am." At the tree line, he finally turned and quickened to a jog.

The tree cover was thick in these woods, and only thin beams of sunlight reached the snow-dusted path, making it softly twinkle in the growing twilight. The hints of sky above him were an icy lilac, slowly changing as dusk began to fall. It would have been beautiful, Chris thought, if not for the scuffed footprints ahead reminding him of why he was sneaking out at all.

Boots skidded and a light cloud of snow caught in the air as Chris came to a sudden halt partway down the path, staring in disbelief at the open woods beyond. At the footprints he'd been following, disappearing into the thickest and darkest part of the forest.

Chris swore, made a mental note to kick Josh's ass for this, and veered off of the path.

The deeper forest's ground was thick with frosted roots and weeds, and it took a fair bit of concentration not to trip as he jogged through the undergrowth. After a few minutes he had to take out the small emergency flashlight he always kept in an inner pocket, but the small beam grew less and less reassuring as light faded from the slivers of sky above him.

_He's got to be around here somewhere. He didn't have_ that _much of a head start._

Chris was snapped out of his thoughts by the dry crack of a branch, and he whirled around to the direction it came from. It had been relatively far-off, though, and there was nothing moving in the shadows of the trees . . .

He wasn't ready for the sudden, piercing screech that followed.

Stumbling backwards in a knee-jerk reaction, Chris felt his flashlight slip from his fingers, and the light disappeared with the crack of broken glass against a root.

"Crap, no!"

The thicket had gone pitch black. Chris looked up desperately for any sunlight, but the sky had darkened to a deep navy, and the foliage around him was suffocatingly dense.

Another snap sounded nearby, and Chris gasped as he felt something long-fingered and cold grip his shoulder . . .

. . . only to see the concerned face of Josh a moment later, when the older boy tapped his phone flashlight on and walked around to face his friend.

"What the hell are you doing out here?" His hands were like ice when they grasped Chris's forearms, and he frowned slightly as his eyes flitted over the younger boy's body. "Are you okay, man?"

Chris's voice was still somewhat breathy from the shock of what had just happened, but seeing his friend brought an involuntary smile to his face. "I'm fine. I could ask you the same thing, though."

"Peachy. As always."

The two shared a small laugh and awkwardly let go of each other. Chris ignored the goosebumps radiating up his arms from where Josh's fingers had gripped them a moment ago.

"So, I'm guessing you aren't out here for an evening stroll?"

Chris scoffed. "As if. Unlike you, I know that it's completely stupid to go into the woods alone at night."

"I didn't ask you to follow me."

"You didn't have to."

They fell quiet for a second. Josh dropped eye contact and pursed his lips slightly, and Chris could see that he was trying to say something.

"Look, Chris," he eventually sighed, eyes drifting back to the other boy. "I get that you had great intentions and all, but sometimes shit happens, and I just need to get away and breathe. I . . . I'll explain eventually. But I can't tell you everything right now." He took a deep breath, and the seriousness rapidly drained from his face. His entire body language changed in moments; muscles relaxed now with no trace of the tension they'd held moments ago, eyes calm where Chris had seen unease and hesitancy. Josh broke into a small smile. "Forget it. Let's just get moving. Wouldn't want you to risk your dumb ass any more on my account, right?"

Chris rolled his eyes at the playful punch to his arm. "I'd be more worried about your family. Beth's gonna have your ass for bailing on the snowman, and you owe me one for the lecture we're gonna have to sit through from your dad."

Josh groaned, Chris laughed, and they slipped back into their usual banter with ease. He let the strange implications of Josh's impromptu speech slide for then. Chris trusted his friends, even to a fault. When Josh was ready, he'd tell him.

It wasn't long before they emerged from the undergrowth and reached the path together, but by the time they stepped out into the open, the storm had rolled in. The wind was picking up faster by the second, snow was flying furiously at every exposed part of them, and Chris could barely feel his lips as he murmured a grim _oh, no_. Josh wrapped his arms tightly around his torso with a frown, and neither of them missed the fact that he was wearing significantly less outerwear than his friend.

"Chris, we won't make it to the lodge in this." The younger boy turned to look at his friend incredulously, and was met with a resigned grimace.

"It's just a bit of snow. The cold won't hurt us - not that fast, at least."

"Fine, then. Point the way we're supposed to go."

Chris paused, and he knew Josh had caught him. At this point he could barely see a few feet in front of him, the road back to the lodge was winding and branching off into multiple paths, and trail signs had long since been covered. _At this rate, we could walk off a cliff and not see it until we were halfway down the fall_. He bit his lip, twinges of fear starting to settle in. "What do you suggest, then?"

A tiny smile tugged at Josh's lips. "I know a place. It's closer from here, and I can probably get us there. We'll wait it out 'til morning."

There wasn't much of a choice. Chris acquiesced, Josh led the way, and they began running down the path in the opposite direction they came from. _I trust you_ , Chris repeated to himself as Josh's silhouette bobbed a few feet into the snow in front of him, and it wasn't misplaced. The place Josh had described really was there, and Chris let out a small laugh of relief as the small cabin came into view between the trees. Even the porch was a step up from the open trail, and Chris was finally able to take his glasses off and wipe them down on his shirt as Josh fumbled with his keys. Then the door opened, a sigh of warmer air blew over them, and the boys squeezed through the doorway into the room.

"Nice thinking out there, bro." Chris beamed as he shrugged off his snow-drenched outer coat, looking around at the cabin. The standout item of the room was a large wood-burning fireplace, which Josh had already rushed to and was attempting to light. Moments later the walls were cast in a warm orange glow as the flames roared to life, and the two friends collapsed on the loveseat with a huff.

Josh sent him a weary half-smile. "I wasn't the one who saved us out there; I was the reason we were out there in the first place. If you hadn't followed me, I'm not sure I would have gotten out of that storm." He lazily nudged his shoulder against Chris's, and the other boy could feel the melted snow that still stuck to his friend's shirt.

"Your shirt is wet," he mumbled, and Josh deadpanned.

"Honestly, I think a goldfish has a longer attention span."

"No, seriously. You're gonna freeze like that."

Josh frowned, but looked down at his shirt thoughtfully. His eyes flitted up to Chris's, he shrugged, and stood up. Then he was reaching for the back of his shirt, and it was coming off, and Chris could only stare in shock. The wet shirt hit the floor with a light rustle and Josh smirked at his speechless friend, stretching out his long and lean torso, the light brown of his skin tinted golden in the firelight.

"Not what you had in mind?"

"Not exactly," Chris laughed, all wide eyes and sixteen years of raging hormones. Snapping out of it, he shook off his own inner fleece and tossed it at the older boy. He had layers to spare. "Get some clothes on, man." Josh laughed, but pulled on the dry top and held his arms out.

"Happy?"

"Very."

"Good." They both settled down again on the couch, and Chris's gaze drifted to a window. Snow still swirled madly outside, and not even the trees surrounding the cabin were visible. But even if he couldn't see anything, the air had become quiet save for the crackling of the firewood, and Chris could have sworn he heard the same screech from earlier faintly in the distance. He shivered, but put it down to nerves. Nothing was out there.

Josh laughed suddenly, and Chris turned to follow his eyes upwards. Hanging from the roof of the small room - directly above the couch - was a sprig of some sort of plant, and Josh's amused voice clued him in a second later. "Mistletoe. Go figure."

A tinge of red crept into Chris's cheeks. He supposed it wasn't that much of a surprise - the Washingtons had come up here around the holidays plenty of times, and Josh had mentioned his parents going off to a guest cabin for some alone time occasionally. They must have missed some of the decorations the last time they came here . . .

"It is almost Christmas, Chris. Feeling in the holiday spirit?"

"In your dreams, Washington." But something else passed in the eye contact they made then, and Josh's gaze felt as if it were burning into him. He wondered it they were thinking the same thing, but almost immediately dismissed the thought.

The moment passed. Josh broke eye contact, and they both sat back on the couch with laughs that were just a tiny bit too forced. "And I was so looking forward to it," said Josh with a faux air of disappointment, and that only made them laugh harder. But Chris still found himself glancing sideways at his friend, though he couldn't say exactly what he was looking for in the older boy's expression.

It was a few more hours before they decided to call it a night. Josh was heading for the main bedroom, while Chris opted to stay on the couch with a few blankets they found. The former paused at the entrance to the hallway, looking back to Chris, who was standing by the couch with his hands in his pockets. Josh leaned against the wall with one arm and met his friend's eyes, an oddly soft expression settling over his face. "You know, you really did save me back there. In the storm. If I was alone out there, I'm not sure what I would have done." He straightened up, took a deep breath. Something passed behind his eyes as he took one last look at Chris. "I'm glad you're here. Happy Christmas Eve."

Then he was gone, only his footsteps echoing down the hallway, and Chris was left alone with his thoughts of snowstorms and confusing friends and mistletoe.

 

* * *

 

Years later, a much older Chris woke up next to Josh on Christmas morning, watching the sunrise paint their room in a golden glow far brighter than that of the fire that once warmed a small mountain cabin on a dark, cold night. He looked on contentedly as the other boy rolled over, stretching out and letting his dark curls fall across the pillows, eventually meeting Chris's eyes with a sleepy grin.

"Morning, Cochise."

"Merry Christmas, Josh."

They broke into mirroring expressions of joy as they laughed and met in a soft morning kiss, the notes of a holiday song drifting through the room from their radio alarm.

Everything had changed since that first Christmas they'd shared, alone in the storm. No more monsters in the forest, or illusions in their heads, or something missing in their hearts. Not two kids lost in the cold, but two people who had found each other and their way to the sun.

They had made it through the years together, connected by fate and memories and love. In time, the holidays really did feel like the most wonderful time of the year.

_We knew it from the start, it was simple, it was true_  
_The snow fell from the sky, I fell in love with you at least a thousand times_  
_And now, every Christmas from now on, I'll be here, by your side_

_All my Christmases, darling, with you_

**Author's Note:**

> Songs mentioned: Merry Christmas Everyone by Shakin' Stevens, All I Want For Christmas is You by Mariah Carey, All My Christmases by Jillian Edwards.
> 
> I feel like this really isn't the best writing, and the tone shift is a bit strange, but I guess I was trying to sort of contrast the darker, more awkward teenage years before they got together or learned to deal with Josh's problems with their eventual happiness for a theme of growing / things getting better over time. All in all, I just hope it worked out and wasn't too bad.
> 
> But hey, as I always put in my fic notes, feedback is always appreciated and encouraged! Kudos and comments mean the world to me, and they're really what drives me to keep (attempting) writing.
> 
> Happy holidays!


End file.
